Testimonials from Previous Students

I was extremely impressed with the school and the home stay. Both Jose, the director the school, and Javier, my teacher and family host were extremely professional and communicative throughout the entire process. The school and homes are in a beautiful, local part of town, just up the hill from the lake front and the touristy scene. Javier and his family were very welcoming and friendly, providing everything we needed, including 3 meals a day and 7 nights in our own large private room. Their house also has a rooftop patio, providing amazing panoramic views over the town, lake and mountains.

Javier was a very helpful and instrumental part of my learning process, working with me for 4 hours a day, then requiring me to complete 2-3 hours of additional homework and study each evening. The school itself sits over the lake with wonderful views and a 1-on-1 learning environment, plus water, coffee and snacks. From what I saw and from talking with the other students, all of the teachers did a superb job in their instructional ability with the students.
This school is by far the best place in town for value, experience and a learning environment.

Jonathan Rorech, July 19, 2014

My 22 year old son and I attended Flor del Maiz Spanish School in July, 2011. We chose Flor del Maiz based on the the many excellent testimonials we found on the Internet. Our experience exceeded our expectations!

My son and I have very different backgrounds in Spanish. I am a beginner and he has a BA degree in Spanish. We wanted to find a school that would meet both our needs. Javier and the instructors at Flor del Maiz were extremely helpful in designing individual courses of study that met our needs wonderfully! The instructors are extremely diligent and were well prepared for each and every lesson.
Also very beneficial is the home stay option. You live and eat with a local family, an experience that is tremendously valuable. You can practice your Spanish as you observe and learn about typical Guatemalan family life.

This Spanish school is an extremely good value. The cost of study can easily fit into the budget of a student.

I would recommend Flor del Maiz to anyone who wants the full Spanish immersion experience!!

Don Zienty

dzienty@comcast.net

Hi, I ended up choosing a school called Flor Del Maiz in San Pedro. I studied there for 3 weeks and stayed with a host family. My teacher was excellent and the family stay really wonderful. The school has some great programs happening with children and growing organic food for sustainable community development. All the people studying at the school were great and we had many family meals together, dancing, lake visits etc. I highly recommend this school!! Thanks, Elaine

Originally posted on Guatemala365.com

I attended here for 1 week in March/07 with my family – 4 of us in total, from Canada. Home stay was at the home of Javier, an owner of the school, my instructor was Demiss. We were all beginner spanish learners – at different levels and the teachers accomodated well to our different needs. This is a small school – they are probably full with 5 or 6 students. Home accomodations were simple and exactly what we needed. Rooms had lockable doors, purified water was always available, and a hot shower was available. Vegetarian food preference was accomodated. A very friendly family with a fun little 5yr old girl who entertained my teenage daughters endlessly. San Pedro is not too big and we felt safe on the streets even at night. You get very good value for the price you pay here – but don’t be expecting luxury and high comfort – tortillas and rice will be the base of your diet! On the weekend an overnight mountain hike was offered for additional cost of 100Q each but well worth it – if you’re reasonably fit. Afternoon activities were not really outings but – things like a movie, a presentation on Mayan Cosmology, and a group dinner with all the students. San Pedro has most of what gringos want such as nice restaurants/coffee shops/bars without being overwhelming touristy.

Originally posted by Iank1 on 123teachme.com

Jose and Javier do a great job here. They match a students needs with the right teacher. The excursions and activities were designed to match our interests and included an overnight hike to the top of a local mountain, a trip to an as yet unexcavated archeological site.The home stays are an amazing way to become connected with the community.The schools level of commitment to improving life for their village is obvious in every way.

Originally posted by Billrobson on 123teachme.com

This is a WONDERFUL school with incredibly kind, helpful, funy, and knowledgeable teachers. Sit at lovely tables among coffee beans, looking out over lake Atitlan and talk in Spanish! San Pedro is a beautiful little town, and being on the far side of it gives you a great feeling of quiet and solitude. Flor del Mais is a HIGHLY recommended school. I formed a personal friendship with Jose that went beyond simply learning Spanish.

Originally posted by Bretjturner on 123teachme.com

See more reviews on our profile at 123 Teach Me. Note that the school was previously called Flor del Maiz.